Package comprising a tray-shaped bottom part and a cover

ABSTRACT

A package comprising a tray-shaped bottom part (1) provided with an opening covered by a cover (2) being sealed to the bottom part (1) along a circumferential rim (10) so as to form a sealed compartment. With a view to forming a peelable cover part (15), the cover (2) is peelably sealed to the bottom part (1) along a portion of the rim thereof by means of a first sealing line. The first sealing line extends between two terminal points arranged on a line (23) extending across the opening of the bottom part (1). Moreover, the cover (2) is sealed firmly to the rim (10) of the bottom part (1) at least in the rim portions of the bottom part immediately adjacent said points by means of other sealing lines. At least in the portion of said line (23), the cover (15) is formed of a first flexible plastic sheet (14). The peelable cover part (15) is formed more rigid than the first plastic sheet (14) at least in the portion being furthest spaced apart from the connecting line (23) between the two terminal points.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a package comprising a tray-shaped bottom partprovided with an opening covered by a cover sealed to the bottom partalong a circumferential rim thereof so as to form a sealed compartment,and wherein the cover to form a peelable cover part is peelably sealedto the bottom part along a portion of the rim thereof by means of afirst sealing line extending between two terminal points arranged on aline extending across the opening of the bottom part, and wherein thecover is firmly sealed to the rim of the bottom part by means of othersealing lines, at least in the rim portions of the bottom partimmediately adjacent said points, and wherein the cover part at least inthe portion of said line is formed of a first flexible plastic sheet.

The term tray-shaped bottom part should be understood in the broadestsense, as the bottom part may be essentially completely flat, i.e.without side walls or be very deep, i.e. have essentially higher sidewalls than illustrated on the drawing.

BACKGROUND ART

Danish patent application No. 1524/92 discloses a package of the abovetype, in which the peelable cover part extends in an overlapping manneronto a cover part sealed to the bottom part, the peelable cover partalso being peelably sealed to a second cover part and provided with agripping member. By gripping about the gripping member, the peelablecover sheet may be completely or partially removed from the package toallow easy access to the interior thereof. By not completely removingthe upper cover sheet, said sheet may be used to reclose the package.However, the closure obtained thereby is not very tight, as subsequentto peeling, the peelable part tends to fold or crease, thus preventingabutment thereof with the rim of the bottom part.

Moreover, a package is known comprising a cup-shaped bottom part sealedby means of a peelable cover sheet peelably sealed to the rim of thebottom part, and a separate cover arranged on top of the cover sheet andinterengaged with the rim of the bottom part. This additional coverserves to reclose the package subsequent to opening thereof by peelingof the peelable cover sheet. This solution is expensive due to theadditional separate cover.

Furthermore, EP 0 488 452 discloses a package (confer FIGS. 3 and 3b)comprising a tray-shaped bottom part and a cover fixed to the rim of thebottom part along a circumferential sealing seam. The cover part ispeelably sealed to the rim of the bottom part in a first zone A andfixedly sealed to the rim of the bottom part in a second zone. Thevarying strength of the sealing seam in the two zones is obtained bycontrolling the sealing temperature and/or sealing pressure. The seamsof the two zones connect at points arranged on a line extending acrossthe opening of the bottom part. Even though it is not described, it isseems obvious from FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b that a detachable tab of thebottom part outside the seam is attached to the cover part to form agripping member. Thus, the cover part is formed of a single sheet layer.

Finally, EP 0 093 442 discloses a lid construction for a containercomprising a cover member adapted to be secured to the upper open end ofa container. The cover member is provided with a tongue defined by acurved cut and a perforated line, the tongue pivotting upwards aboutsaid line to form an opening in the cover member. The lid constructionfurther comprises a main paperboard insert secured to the top surface ofthe cover member and provided with an end area superposed over thetongue. The main paperboard insert is provided with a hinge line beingsubstantially superposed immediately above the perforated line in thecover member. A secondary paperboard insert having a pull tab isarranged between the main paperboard insert and the cover member andextends from the rim of the main paperboard insert to the hinge line.The secondary paperboard insert is secured to the tongue of the covermember such that said tongue and the superposed end area of the mainpaperboard insert pivot about their respective hinge lines when the pulltab is pulled to form the opening in the cover member. The publicationthus relates to a completely different and more complicated type of lidconstruction than the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and economicalpackage of the above type, which is recloseable so that it withoutfurther measures may be used for storing its contents after a portionthereof has been removed.

The package according to the invention is characterised in that thepeelable cover part is formed more rigidly than the first plastic sheetand the peelable cover part comprises an additional rigidity-increasingsheet sealed to the first sheet and that and the rigidity-increasingsheet extends over essentially the entire peelable cover part. As aresult, the first flexible plastic sheet forms an axis of rotation forthe peelable cover part in the portion at the connecting line betweenthe two terminal points of the peelable sealing line, when it has beenpeeled to the more firm sealing lines. The more rigid portion of thecover part prevents the cover part from creasing or folding afterpeeling. Moreover, due to the increased weight of the peelable cover inthe rigid portion abutment of the cover part with the rim of the bottompart is ensured, when the package is reclosed after the initial openingthereof. Consequently, a good protection of the packaged product isobtained, also after the package has been opened.

According to the invention, the rigidity-increasing sheet may be sealedto the first sheet along an overlapping edge portion.

Moreover, according to the invention, the rigidity-increasing sheet maybe sealed to the first sheet along a sealing line between the two sheetscoincident with the peelable sealing line between the peelable coverpart and the bottom part. This embodiment is considered particularadvantageous in that it allows for sealing of the rigidity-increasingsheet to the first sheet and of the cover part to the bottom part in asingle sealing operation.

Furthermore, according to the invention, the rigidity-increasing sheetmay be formed of a inwards folded flap of the first sheet. By foldingthe flap inwards, i.e. to face the bottom part, the complete cover maybe formed of a single sheet, one surface thereof thus being sealable toitself, and a second surface peelably sealable to the bottom part.

Further, according to the invention, the rigidity-increasing sheet maybe provided on the lower face of the first sheet.

In this connection, it is preferable that the rigidity-increasing sheetis provided with a lower face forming a peelably seal with the rim ofthe bottom part when sealed, and an upper face forming a firm seal withthe lower face of the first sheet when sealed.

Moreover, according to the invention, the peelable cover part and thebottom part may comprise co-acting locking means. The locking meansserve to additionally ensure that the peelable cover part is kept insealing abutment with the rim of the bottom part, when the package isreclosed after the initial opening thereof. The co-acting locking meansmay e.g. be formed of a downwardly facing projection on the cover partadapted to be brought into retaining engagement with a correspondingdepression in the rim of the bottom part.

Finally, according to the invention, the peelable cover part may extendbeyond the sealing line with the rim of the bottom part so as to form agripping member in the portion being furthest spaced apart from theterminal points of the sealing line. By gripping about the grippingmember, the peelable cover part may be easily peeled to its terminalpoints.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

The invention is explained in detail below with reference to thedrawings, in which

FIG. 1 is a isometric view of a preferred embodiment for a packageaccording to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the line II--II in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view corresponding to II--II in FIG. 1 through asecond embodiment of a package according to the invention, and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view corresponding to II--II in FIG. 1 through athird embodiment of a package according to the invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The package according to the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprisesa tray-shaped bottom part 1 and a cover 2.

The tray-shaped bottom part 1 is rectangular and comprises a bottom 4and two pairs of opposing side walls 5,6 and 7,8 extending upwards fromthe bottom 4 and and continuing at their upper ends into a common flange9 forming the upper rim 10 of the bottom part. Furthermore, at theirupper ends, the side walls define the opening 11 of the bottom part.Finally, at the wall 8, the flange portion 12 is more wide than the restof the flange 9.

The cover 2 comprises a first cover part 13 formed of a first flexibleplastic sheet 14, and a second cover part 15 formed of a second morerigid plastic sheet 16 and the first plastic sheet 14, the latterextending onto the second plastic sheet in an entirely overlappingmanner.

The more rigid plastic sheet 16 is sealed peelably to the rim 10 of thebottom part 1 along a section 12 of the rim portion at the wall 5, asection 18 of the rim portion at the wall 6 and to the entire rimportion 19 at the wall 8 by means of a first sealing line 20 illustratedby means of o'es. The sealing line extends between terminal points 21,22 arranged on a line 23 extending centrally across the opening 11 ofthe bottom part 1.

The first plastic sheet is sealed firmly to the remaining section 24 ofthe rim portion at the wall 5; the remaining section 25 of the rimportion at the wall 6; and to the entire rim portion 26 at the wall 7 bymeans of a second sealing line 27 illustrated by means of triangles.Moreover, the first plastic sheet 14 is sealed firmly to the second morerigid plastic sheet 16 along a third sealing line 28 illustrated bymeans of x'es and situated above the first sealing line 20. It should benoted that the term firmly sealed denotes a seal substantially strongerthan a peelable seal, but not necessarily a fusion seal.

The second rigid plastic sheet 16 and the first flexible plastic sheet14 both extend beyond the sealing lines 20 and 28 in the wide flangeportion 12, whereby a tab 33 is formed, which may be gripped about foropening the package. Further, in the tab 33, a downwards projection 29is provided in the rigid plastic sheet 16 and in the first plastic sheet14, said projection being in retaining engagement with a correspondingdepression 30 in the wide flange portion 12.

By gripping about the tab 33 of the first plastic sheet 14 and thesecond plastic sheet 14, the second cover part 15 formed of said twoplastic sheets may be peeled up to the terminal points 21, 22 of thefirst peelable sealing line 20. Subsequently, the second cover part 15may be turned as a flap about the line 23 between the points 21, 22 andremain in the opened position, in which it abuts the first cover part13. Due to its weight, the second cover part 15 remains in said openedposition, until it is returned once more to its closed position aboutthe line 23. Owing to its weight and rigidity, in its closed position,the cover part 15 essentially abuts the subjacent rim portions 17, 18,19 of the bottom part 1 and closes the package. With a view to obtaininga more secure and tight closure of the package, the projection 28 may bebrought into engagement with the depression 30, said parts forming alocking means for interlocking the second cover part 15 and the bottompart 1.

In a modification of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1and 2, the first flexible plastic sheet 14 merely extends slightly ontothe second more rigid plastic sheet 16 and is sealed thereto by means ofa transverse fourth sealing line 31 shown by means of a dotted line inFIG. 1 and slightly spaced apart from the line 23 in the overlappingportion between the two sheets. In this embodiment, it is necessary toseal the two sheets to each other, prior to the joint sealing thereof tothe rim of the bottom part. However, said procedure is not necessary inthe first embodiment. By a suitable selection of the surfaces of thesheets facing each other, the two sheets may be sealed to each other atthe same time as the second rigid plastic sheet 16 is sealed peelably tothe rim and the first flexible sheet is sealed firmly to the rim of thebottom part. The first embodiment of the invention is, further,preferable, when several, adjacent packages are to be formed, filled andsealed simultaneously, the number of webs comprising the two sheets thusbeing reduced. As an example, for manufacturing two adjacent packagesarranged laterally reversed relative to each other, only two webs arerequired, viz. a web comprising the first flexible plastic sheet andhaving the double width of the individual package, and a web comprisingthe rigid second plastic sheet and having the double width of thepeelable cover part of the end package. The two adjacent packages areseparated subsequent to being formed, filled and sealed.

The tray-shaped bottom part 1 can be made of an arbitrary flexible,semi-rigid or rigid material. However, for some fields of application,it is preferable to use a semi-rigid or rigid laminate, such as a PE/PAlaminate or a PE/PET laminate thermoformed into the desired shape, thePE layer facing inwards, and of a thickness of e.g. 100 to 400 μm. Forthe first flexible plastic sheet it is preferable to use a comparativelyflexible sheet, such as a PETP/PE, an OPP/PE or a PA/PE laminate of athickness of 40 to 100 μm, the PE layer facing inwards. For the morerigid second sheet 14, a LDPE/HDPE/LD peelable PE may be used having athickness of 100 to 200 μm, the PE layer facing inwards. Moreover, thesheets may comprise a barrier layer, for instance a metallization.

The embodiment of the package according to the invention shown in FIG. 3comprises a bottom part 41 corresponding to the bottom part 1 describedwith reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, for which reason it is not describedfurther. The cover 42 is formed of a single flexible plastic sheet 54folded inwards onto itself about a folding line 74, the inwards foldedflap 73 being the lowermost. The length of the inwards folded flap 73 issuch that the free edge 74 thereof extends centrally across the openingof the bottom part 41.

The flexible sheet 54 is provided with a first outwards facing surface75 sealing peelably to the rim 50 of the bottom part 41 when sealed, anda second inwards facing surface 76 sealing firmly to itself and to therim 50 of the bottom part 41 when sealed. As a result, at the sealing ofthe folded sheet 54, the portion 53 of the cover 42 formed of a singlelayer of the sheet 54 is sealed firmly to the rim of the bottom part,while the double-walled portion 55 of the sheet is sealed peelably tothe rim of the bottom part 41. The portion 53 thus forms the firmlysealed cover part, and the portion 55 forms the peelably sealed coverpart of the cover 52 respectively. The sealing of the cover part 52 andthe position of the sealing lines between said part and the rim 50 ofthe bottom part 41 is as described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and2, for which reason no further description thereof is rendered. However,it should be noted that as the bottom part 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2, thebottom part 41 is provided with a more wide flange portion 52 at theside wall 48, a depression 70 being formed therein, and that a downwardprojection 69 in the cover 52 is adapted to be brought into retainingengagement therewith.

Due to its double wall thickness, the rigidity of the peelable coverpart 52 is such that after being peeled it serves as a flap which can beturned about a line coincident with the free edge 74 of the folded flap73, said edge defining the transition between the firm and the peelablesealing of the cover 52 to the rim 50 of the bottom part 41.Correspondingly, as a consequence of its increased rigidity and weight,the peelable cover part 52 tightly abuts the rim of the bottom part,when it reverts to its closed position subsequent to the initial openingthereof.

As an example, the first flexible sheet 55 may be formed of a peelablePE/PETP/PE, a peelable PE/OPP/PE, a peelable PE/PA/PE, or a co-extrudedOPP/PE laminate having a thickness of 40 to 100 μm, the peelable PElayer facing outwards in the firmly sealed cover part 53 and thusinwards in the peelably sealed cover part 55. For the bottom part 41 thesame co-extrudate as stated for the bottom part in the first embodimentmay be used.

The embodiment of a package according to the invention shown in FIG. 4comprises a tray-shaped bottom part 81 corresponding to the bottom partin the first embodiment, except for not being provided with a depression30. The cover 82 comprises a first plastic sheet 94 having an extentcorresponding to the outline of the flange 89 of the bottom part 81. Asecond more rigid plastic sheet 96 is sealed to the upper face of thefirst sheet 94, and a third flexible sheet 113 is sealed to the lowerface of the first flexible sheet 94. The two sheets 96 and 113 bothextend from the wide flange portion 92 of the bottom part 81 toapproximately the middle of the opening 91 of the bottom part 81 and ofessentially the same extent.

The first sheet 94 has a lower surface 1 15 sealing firmly to the rim 90of the bottom part when sealed, and an outer surface 116 sealing firmlyto the lower face 117 of the second more rigid sheet 96 and to the upperface 118 of the third flexible plastic sheet 113 when sealed. Finally,the third flexible sheet 113 is provided with a lower face 119 sealingpeelably to the upper rim 90 of the bottom part when sealed.

When sealing the cover 82 to the rim 90 of the bottom part 81, asdescribed above with reference to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1and 2, the portion 93 of the cover formed only of the first plasticsheet 94 is sealed firmly to the rim 90, while the portion 95 of thecover 82 formed of the remaining portion of the first flexible sheet 94;the second more rigid sheet 96 as well as the third flexible sheet 112are sealed peelably to the rim 90 of the bottom part 81. At the sametime, the second rigid sheet 96 and the third flexible sheet 113 aresealed firmly to the remaining portion of the first flexible sheet 94.The portion 93, wherein the first flexible sheet is firmly sealed to therim 90 of the bottom part thus forms the firmly sealed cover part of thecover 82, while the portion 95, wherein the second rigid sheet 96 andthe third flexible sheet 113 both are sealed to the first flexible 94,forms the peelable cover part of the cover 82.

The package is opened as described for the first embodiment by grippingabout the tab of the peelable cover part 95 at the wide flange portion92 and peeling the peelable seal to the inner edge face 103 of the thirdsheet 113. The portion of the firmly sealed cover part 93 immediatelyadjacent thereto thus forms an axis of rotation for the peelable coverpart 95 ensuring good reclosability of package due to its rigidity andweight.

In a modification of the embodiment according to the invention shown inFIG. 4, the third sheet 113 may be replaced by a peel coating on thelower face 115 of the first sheet 94 in the portion corresponding to thethird sheet 113.

Finally, it should be noted that the package may, naturally, be of anyarbitrary form than rectangular, for instance oval or circular, and thatthe terminal points of the peelable sealing line may have an arbitraryposition provided that the line therebetween extends across the openingof the bottom part. The package may be provided with two or morepeelable cover parts, should this be considered advantageous for easyaccess to the packed product.

I claim:
 1. A package comprising a tray-shaped bottom part (1, 41, 81) provided with an opening covered by a cover (2,42,82) sealed to the bottom part along a circumferential rim (10,50,90) thereof to form a sealed compartment, and wherein the cover (2, 42, 82) to form a peelable cover part (15, 55, 95) is sealed peelably to the bottom part along a portion of the rim thereof by means of a first sealing line (20) extending between two terminal points (21,22) arranged on a line (23) extending across the opening of the bottom part (1, 41, 81), and wherein the cover (2,42,82) is sealed firmly to the rim (10,50,90) of the bottom part (1,41,81) by means of other sealing lines (27) at least in the rim portions of the bottom part immediately adjacent said points, and wherein the cover part (2, 42, 82) at least in the portion of said line (23) is formed of a first flexible plastic sheet (14,54,94), characterised in that the peelable cover part (15, 55, 95) is formed more rigidly than the first plastic sheet (14, 54, 94) and comprises a rigidity-increasing further sheet (16, 73, 96) sealed firmly to the first sheet (14, 54, 94), and that the rigidity-increasing sheet (16, 73, 96) extends essentially over the entire peelable cover part (15,55,95).
 2. A package according to claim 1, characterised in that the peelable cover part (15, 55, 95) extends beyond the sealing line (20) with the rim (10,50, 90) of the bottom part to form a gripping member in the portion being furthest spaced apart from the terminal points (21,22) of the sealing line.
 3. A package according to claim 1, characterised in that the rigidity-increasing sheet (16) is sealed to the first sheet (14) along an overlapping edge portion.
 4. A package according to claim 1 or 3 characterised in that the rigidity-increasing sheet (16, 73, 96) is sealed to the first sheet (14, 54, 94) along a sealing line (27) between the two sheets, said sealing line being coincident with the peelable sealing line (20) between the peelable cover part (15, 55, 95) and the bottom part (1, 41, 81).
 5. A package according to claim 1 or 3, characterised in that the rigidity-increasing sheet (73) is formed of a folded flap of the first sheet (54).
 6. A package according to claim 3, characterised in that the rigidity-increasing sheet (73) is formed of a folded flap of the first sheet (54).
 7. A package according to claim 3, characterised in that the rigidity-increasing sheet (16, 73, 96) extends essentially over the entire peelable cover part (15, 55, 95).
 8. A package according to claim 3, characterised in that the rigidity-increasing sheet (16, 73) is provided on the lower face of the first sheet (14, 54). 